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Page 2 BUSINESS NAME State Officers 2020-2021 Volume XVI, Issue 1 April 2021 National Trustee Connecticut Line News: Wreaths Across America 2020 Kenneth D. Roach 860-688-8091 On December 19th, The Connecticut Line Color Guard participated in three WAA events across the [email protected] state. In Bantam, CT – The Wolcott detachment provided a 3-volley musket salute following the sev- President en ceremonial wreaths that were placed at the All Wars Memorial, to remember all soldiers, sailors, Damien M. Cregeau airmen, and marines who served; honor their sacrifices; and teach our younger generations about 203-648-1730 [email protected] the high cost of our freedoms. The Mary Floyd Tallmadge Chap- 1st Vice-President ter of the Daughters of the Stephen Z. Taylor 360-551-6804 American Revolution annually [email protected] sponsors this event. In Milford, CT – The Humphreys 2nd Vice-President Timothy C. Wilkins detachment provided a 3-volley 203-298-9382 musket salute following the plac- [email protected] ing of over 250 wreaths at the Kings Highways Cemetery. For 13 Secretary Paul H. Selnau -years the Freelove Baldwin Stow 860-651-4161 Chapter of the Daughters of the [email protected] American Revolution has spon- Treasurer sored this event. Theodore J. Nelson In Lebanon, CT - Members of the The CT Line and American Legion: Wreaths Across America in Lebanon 860-444-6771 Nathan Hale Branch and the 7th [email protected] CT Regiments of the Connecticut Line participated in Wreaths Across American hosted by Lebanon’s Chaplain American Legion Post in which 3 volleys of musket fire were executed. Those in uniform included Richard W. Kendall Bob Rivard, Fred Rivard, Dan Dudley, Jim Rothgeb, Dave Packard, and Tyler Smith. Also, in attend- 203-380-0651 ance were Stephen Taylor, Bradley Demmons, David Jones, and new member Francis Kunz. At the [email protected] conclusion of this event, we presented the American Legion Post with a certificate of recognition for Registrar Flag Retirement ceremonies that they have been conducting for many years. Harold Nelson, who is Gregory E. Thompson the Post Commander, accepted the certificate with many other members in attendance. Our final 203-215-1755 [email protected] event of the day was to post 9 wreaths at the Trumbull Cemetery along the front wall and conduct a 3-volley musket salute to Revolutionary War Patriots buried there. Dave Packard and Bob Rivard will Historian return once the snow melts significantly more and place 8 of the 9 wreaths on Patriot graves while Gary S. Pitcock th 860-289-5331 keeping the 9 hanging on the cemetery’s sign. Since Dave Packard received 27 wreaths from WAA, [email protected] we distributed them to those in attendance to take to their own towns and to place them on either cemeteries or veterans’ graves. Chancellor William P. Fenn A New Book by Barbara and Ethan Stewart 203-421-5511 [email protected] Barbara and Ethan Stewart, Stratford residents, have created a book, entitled The Restoration of Real Property Steward Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery on the process of restoring the Burying Grounds. Also known as David H. Packard the “Old Episcopal Burying Place”, it can be found at 2000 Main Street, Stratford. The cemetery 860-848-0320 dates back to 1723 and is the oldest Episcopal burial ground in the state. The oldest grave is 1725. Dr. [email protected] Samuel Johnson, 1st. President of Kings College and his son William Samuel Johnson, 1st. President Color Guard Commander of Columbia University and also one of two signers (Roger Sherman) of our United States Constitution David J. Perkins is buried here. Also, buried here are 18 Revolutionary War Patriots. 203-797-1967 [email protected] 1 Stewart Book Con’t. This project has been a great privilege and enormous achievement by all those who worked in the cemetery. It was very inspiring to find old lost information and gravestones. They commented: “Let’s not forget the lost inscription that had sunk into the ground over the centuries. With all the work we all put into this cemetery it was also fun and exciting and most of all rewarding”. The Stewarts have graciously allowed us to view their book, at no cost, online at https:// www.connecticutsar.org/Patriot_Graves/Stratford%20Episcopal%20Church% 20Cem%20Book.pdf . Humphreys Branch #1 Patriot Grave Marking by Steve Chapman On June 19th, the General David Humphreys Branch #1 will conduct a grave marking ceremony for Nero Hawley, a revolutionary hero, entrepreneur, and former slave, as well as four other soldiers at Riverside Cemetery in Trumbull, Gail Liscio, president of the Stratford Historical Connecticut. Nero Hawley (1742-1817) joined the Continental Army in place of Society holding the book with Barbara (L), Ethan (R) his owner, Daniel Hawley, on 20 Apr 1777, and was assigned to Capt. Granger’s company of the 2nd Connecticut Regiment at Valley Forge along with members of his home community. The muster rolls list Nero as “on command”, as he was attached to the Headquarters Unit by his command- ers. He fought at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse in 1778 and the capture of Stony Point in 1779, where he sustained serious injuries. Nero obtained his freedom and was discharged from the Continental Army in 1785. He owned a brick-making business in Trumbull, Connecticut and received a veteran’s pension for his military service. He died on 30 Jan 1817 at the age of 75. Along with Nero Hawley, Capt. David Nichols, James Nichols, Nathan Nichols, and Lewis Burton will also be honored for their service. 2021 Connecticut SAR Challenge Coin—240th Anniversary of the Battle of Groton Heights By Ethan Stewart East of the Thames River, on Groton Heights, Fort Griswold stands commanding the New London Harbor and the surrounding countryside. In the midst of the Revolutionary War, 1781, the fort was in good condition and the magazine was full, but trouble was not far away. On September 6 of that year, the British forces, commanded by Benedict Arnold, attacked New London and burned the city. A section of the British army was sent to Fort Griswold, where approximate- ly 150 colonial militia and local men were un- der the command of Colonel William Le- dyard. After some fighting, the British gained the advantage and approached the gate of the garrison. They opened it, and marched in, re- maining in formation. After the British had penetrated the fort itself, Ledyard ordered his men to stop fighting to avoid further casual- ties. The British, however, continued to shoot at the now defenseless Americans. Seventy more men were murdered, including Ledyard, who according to legend was slain with his own sword after handing it over to a British officer. The entire battle lasted only 40 minutes. The fort was later used in defense preparations for at least four other wars, and the original garrison is now a state park. This was the last major military encounter of the war in the northern states. The 2 coins will sell for $10.00 each and should be available at the April 24th State Meeting in Hartford. For a complete display of our other 5 coins, please go to ConnecticutSAR.org to view them. 2 President’s Report: Spring 2021 As I look back on my three years serving you, the Compatriots of the CTSSAR, as your state president, I am pleased at what we have accomplished in spite of the challenges, especially regarding COVID-19 shutdowns. This included our Board of Managers’ wise de- cision to close and keep closed our three public museum properties for which our state society is unique in all of NSSAR for owning and operating: the Captain Nathan Hale Schoolhouses in New London and East Haddam as well as the Governor Jonathan Trum- bull, Senior War Office in Lebanon. We were able to safely conduct several important, patriotic ceremonies outside these properties as well as at my Patriot Private Samuel Hanmer House in Wethersfield, including the winners of the Eagle Scout awards and Knight Essay contest. While Covid-19 prevented the ROTC units at Yale and Connecticut from hosting their annual awards ceremonies, and the U.S. Coast Guard Acade- my followed similar policies, I am confident that if we do not get invited to such ceremonies during “Academy Awards Week” in May, we will have them resume in the spring of 2022. Speaking of 2022, we are another year closer to the next 250th anniversary event: the Patriot burning of the HMS Gaspee in Narra- gansett Bay in Rhode Island in early June. I am pleased I could help spread the word with the CTSSAR, CTDAR and CSCAR about the 250th anniversaries last March, in 2020, for the death of young Christopher Seider, a member of the Children of Liberty, and then the Boston Massacre. In addition to my participation in New England District meetings and then virtual meetings via Zoom video calls, I enjoyed hosting our state meetings over the past three years at sites throughout the state. We met in Redding to commemorate the 240th anni- versary of the Patriot army encampment there led by Maj. Gen. Israel Putnam. Speaking of General Putnam, I also enjoyed hosting first-half of the double-header on Saturday, September 29, 2018, when we remembered the important contributions of Brevet Major General Jedediah Huntington in Norwich, followed by the same for Major General Putnam at his grave in Brooklyn, Connecti- cut that afternoon. Over fifty people including the city of Norwich mayor attended the Huntington graveside event in the morning, and hundreds including state representatives and a huge component of our Color Guard turned out for Putnam’s ceremony.